Poinsettia plant named ‘PER101’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER101’, characterized by its uniform, compact, upright and mounded plant habit; strong stems; dark green-colored leaves; inflorescences with light pale yellow-colored flower bracts; early-season flowering; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER101’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER101’.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckalbert, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/291,043. The cultivar PER101 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within a population of plants of the parent cultivar in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., on Oct. 30, 2000. The new Poinsettia was selected on the basis of its flower bract coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., since January, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘PER101’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PER101’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Uniform, compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Strong stems.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Inflorescences with light pale yellow-colored flower bracts.     -   5. Early-season flowering; natural season flower maturity date         is late November for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.     -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar Eckalbert, primarily in flower bract color as plants of the cultivar Eckalbert have pink-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Peterstar White, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,878. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Peterstar White in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Peterstar White.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the cultivar Peterstar White.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar 490 White, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,772. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar 490 White in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were more compact than plants of         the cultivar 490 White.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about one week later         than plants of the cultivar 490 White.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘PER101’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘PER101’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the winter under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures averaging about 24° C., night temperatures averaging about 19° C. and light levels about 4,000 foot-candles. Single plants were grown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched once. Plants were flowered under natural season short day/long night conditions. Plants were about 21 weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photographs and the detailed botanical description were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar     PER101. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Euphorbia     pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckalbert, disclosed in U.S. Plant     patent application Ser. No. 10/291,043. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Upright, compact, uniform and mounded plant             habit; inverted triangle. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 36 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 47 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: About nine lateral             branches develop after pinching. Length: About 24 cm.             Diameter: About 6 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 146C.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 11.2 cm. Width: About 8.8 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire with irregular             lobing. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper surface:             Glabrous, smooth. Texture, lower surface: Slightly             pubescent. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A. Fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: Darker than 147B. Venation, upper             surface: 147C. Venation, lower surface: 147D. Petiole:             Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 146C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch.             Inflorescences are not fragrant. Flowers persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter in Northern             Hemisphere. Flower initiation and development is induced             under long nyctoperiod conditions. Early-season flowering,             response time, about 8.5 weeks; natural season flower             maturity date is late November for plants grown in             Encinitas, Calif.         -   Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Poinsettia             maintain good substance and bract color for about four weeks             under interior conditions.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 33 cm. Height (depth): About 9 to 10 cm.

-   -   -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20. Length,             largest bracts: About 17 cm. Width, largest bracts: About             13.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute to             attenuate. Margin: Entire with occasional lobing. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous; velvety. Surface, upper             and lower surfaces: Mostly smooth. Aspect: Mostly flat.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and             transitional bracts, upper and lower surfaces: 10C. Fully             expanded bracts, upper and lower surfaces: 5D. Venation,             upper and lower surfaces: Similar to flower bract color.             Bract petiole: Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 145B.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About eight to nine. Diameter             of cyathia cluster: About 2 cm by 2.5 cm. Length: About             9 mm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature:             145A. Color, mature: 145A to 145B. Nectaries: Quantity per             cyathium: About one or two. Size: About 2 mm by 3 mm. Color:             12A. Peduncle: Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth;             glabrous. Color: 145B. Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About             five to ten. Anther shape: Bi-lobed. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: 160B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen             color: 12A. Pistils: None observed.

-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettias has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     conditions. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER101’, as illustrated and described. 